Take Action for Pedestrians!

Now is the time to save biking and walking – take action today by letting your senators know that walkability is a necessary part of a healthy, happy community!

Now is the time to show your support for walkability by contacting your representatives and letting them know that their constituents (that would be you!) care about safe walking and biking options in every community.

In Washington DC, the House and Senate have agreed to extend the bill which provides funding for cycling and walking projects around the country at current levels – for the next 6 months. But next year, that amount could be nothing. Feet First and its partners urge you to send the message that you support biking and walking in your communities, and ask your Representative and Senators to vote in favor of continued funding for these necessary parts of a happy, healthy lifestyle. The Alliance for Biking and Walking suggests the following language to use in contacting your Representative and Senators:

This year, around $700 million of Federal transportation funds, which is less than 2 percent of total transportation dollars, will be spent on bicycling and walking. In 2012 that figure might be a big fat zero. Please contact your Senators TODAY and let them know you support continued funding for biking and walking.

In the next few days, Senator Coburn will ask Congress to eliminate the federal Transportation Enhancements program – the primary funding source for the past 20 years for bike lanes, trails, bike racks on buses, bike education etc. This isn’t safe or smart; it’s not good for the economy or the environment; this is bad health policy and bad transportation policy. But they are going to try because they don’t think bicycling matters.

Even though bicycling projects create more jobs per dollar than highway-only projects and cutting enhancements won’t impact the deficit – the money just won’t be spent on bicycling – some Members of Congress want to force us backwards to a 1950s highway-only mindset: as if oil embargoes, congestion, smog, the obesity epidemic and climate change never happened.

Now is the time to save biking and walking. So, we are asking you to contact your Senator and urge them to support continued funding for biking and walking. Don’t let them take away this vital investment program for smart, sustainable, safe transportation choices.